All for You
by CaptainSwanLuver
Summary: Flashing between Camelot and Storybrooke, Emma reveals what happened in Camelot and her plan to Killian.


Title: All For You

Author: Steph

Rating: G

Pairing: Hook/Emma

Characters: Hook, Emma, David, Mary Margaret, Merlin

Category: Drama/Romance

Disclaimer: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.

Spoilers: Based on previews from 5x08, BTS pictures/videos

Summary: Flashing between Camelot and Storybrooke, Emma reveals what happened in Camelot and her plan to Killian.

Note: So I have no idea what's really going to happen on the show, but this is what popped into my head after seeing the previews and BTS pictures/videos. Hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! ~Steph

…All For You: Part 1/1…

...Present Day: Storybrooke...

Emma stood on the dock, staring at Killian's ship. She came there when she wanted to feel closer to him. The silver chain with the ring he had given her still hung around her neck. She pulled it out of her jacket and cradled the ring in her hand. It made her feel closer to him too, but it did more than that. It gave her hope that one day they could get back what they once shared.

Emma was so lost in thought that she didn't hear him approach her from behind.

"Emma?"

She spun around to face him, still clutching the ring in her hand.

"Killian."

His gaze immediately went to the ring, his brow furrowing. "Is that my ring? I wondered what became of it. I assumed it had become lost in Camelot. How did you get it?"

Emma moved closer to him, a small smile on her lips. "You gave it to me."

Killian's forehead wrinkled in surprise. "I did? Why?"

"You said you believed it kept you alive. I was going on a journey and you wanted me to be safe." She paused, meeting his eyes, as her voice softened. "And you wanted me to remember that you loved me and were waiting for me."

Killian swallowed hard. So he had told her he loved her in Camelot. Something inside of him ached knowing he didn't recall telling her he loved her for the first time. He knew now that using the past tense when she had asked him if he loved her must have hurt her even more than he could have imagined. Of course he still loved her. He loved the woman who was still inside her, he loved the woman he saw pieces of every so often. He would always love her.

"What was the journey?" he asked.

Emma smiled, as she came closer to him. She brought her hand up to his chest, placing it over his heart. "Nice try."

Killian stepped away from her, as her hand dropped away. Her smile faded.

"You want me to trust you," he said. "But you give me no reason to."

Emma's jaw tightened. "It goes both ways. How can I trust a man who can't accept me for who I am?"

Killian opened his mouth to respond, but thought better of it. Emma lifted the necklace off of her neck and held it out to him.

"This belongs to you. I assume you no longer want me to have it."

Killian took the necklace from her for a moment and then placed it back in her hand, his own hand lingering over hers. "I gave it to you for a reason and I assume I never took it back for a reason too. I want you to keep it, Emma. Every time you look at it or hold it in the palm of your hands, let it serve as a reminder of what we once had and can have again. You saw the good in me when no one else did. And I can still see the good in you. I won't give up on you or us."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away. Emma stared at him until he disappeared from view, then placed the chain back on her neck.

…Flashback: Camelot…

Killian sat on a log awaiting Emma's return. He hoped that her quest had yielded better results than the one he and the others had undertaken. He heard footsteps and turned to find Emma approaching. A smile appeared on her lips at the sight of him. She hurried over and sat down next to him, then leaned forward to kiss him.

He grinned as they parted. "How did your quest go?"

Emma held the dagger up to him. "I got the spark."

Killian's face brightened. "I never doubted you for a moment. You're bloody brilliant, Swan."

Emma's face fell. "It was intense. Turns out, the woman that Merlin once loved was the original Dark One."

Killian's brow raised, then he nodded. "Ah, I see. He said he knew what it felt like to lose someone you love to the Dark One. I thought he meant she had been killed by the Dark One. I suppose we have a lot in common."

"Nimue appeared and wanted me to kill Merlin. She taunted me and said I was nothing. But I overtook her. I chose the right path."

Killian took her hand in his. "I knew you would."

"But then Merlin vanished on our way home."

Killian sighed. "I'm afraid I know why. Arthur summoned him. Our mission failed and now he's using Excalibur to control him. He wants to get the dagger and unite the two pieces. You must be careful of Merlin now, Emma."

Emma sighed heavily. "I feel as if I take one step forward and two steps back. I thought that by tomorrow I would be back to myself. I thought that I would have removed the darkness, but now I have no idea what to do next."

Killian brought his hand up to cup her cheek. "Don't worry, love. We'll figure it out together. We always do."

Emma smiled and then brought her hand to the chain around her neck to lift it off. "I almost forgot to give this back to you."

Killian placed his hand over hers to stop her movement. "No, I want you to keep it."

"Killian, you need this more than I do. If you truly believe it has kept you alive all of these years, then you need to wear it. I want you to be safe."

"And I want you to have a piece of me wherever you go. I want you to have a constant reminder that I love you and I will never stop fighting for us."

Emma smiled and then pressed a kiss to his lips. "Thank you." She lowered her eyes, as her cheeks reddened. "So, um, I know I got a little freaked out before when you started to give me the ring and I thought you were proposing. But I…well, I was just wondering if maybe some day…one day…when I'm back to myself if that…um…is something you might consider doing?"

Killian's lips spread into a wide smile. He had dreamt of making Emma his wife for a long time now. He just didn't think she was ready.

"Emma Swan, make no mistake, one day I will ask you to do me the great honor of becoming my wife."

A smile lit up Emma's entire countenance. "Good," she said softly.

….Present Day: Storybrooke…

Killian entered the loft. He found Regina and Mary Margaret sitting at the kitchen counter, while David stood in front of them.

"I've just come from seeing Emma," Killian said.

"Did you learn anything new?" David asked.

"Not particularly."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Listen, Captain Guyliner, if you don't have anything new to tell us, then why are you here?"

Killian's jaw clenched. "I have an idea."

"This should be good. Let's hope it's better than your last idea that involved my sister," Regina muttered.

"Regina, let's hear him out. What's your idea, Hook?" Mary Margaret said.

"So far, only Henry and I have been able to see glimpses of the true Emma. Today, I found her holding a ring on a chain I had given her in Camelot. It was obvious that it helped her feel close to me. Every so often, she lets her guard down when she's with me."

"Is there a point somewhere in here?" Regina asked.

"Let him finish, Regina," David snapped.

"It's obvious that Emma wants me to trust her. But she won't unless I accept her for who she is now."

Regina let out a groan. "She's manipulating you. That's what the Dark One does. If you trust her, then you're that much easier to manipulate. Belle trusted Rumple and look where that got her."

Killian clenched his jaw. "You don't understand. I just need to make her believe I trust her. I simply need to pretend I accept who she has become. Then I believe I can get her to reveal her plan to me."

David nodded. "That could work."

"I agree. It's worth a try," Mary Margaret said.

Regina sighed. "I suppose it's not the worst idea you've ever had."

"High praise coming from you, Regina," Killian replied with a smirk. "I feel like we're bonding."

"Just be careful, Hook. There's no telling what Emma might do if she realizes you've turned the tables and are manipulating her," Mary Margaret said.

Regina shook her head, "The bigger concern is that you don't let yourself get tempted by the darkness. Given your history, it won't be easy to resist."

"The notion of getting the woman I love back is all I need to resist the darkness," he replied.

…

Killian knew he needed to do something dramatic to convince Emma that he trusted her and accepted her as the Dark One. As he climbed to the roof of the library, he knew that this would be nothing if not dramatic. He moved to the edge and looked down at the ground below.

"Emma Swan! Emma Swan! Emma Swan!" he yelled.

He expected her to appear just in time to save him when he jumped. If this didn't prove he trusted her, then he didn't know what would. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He thought of the ring she now wore and how he had always believed it kept him alive. Now he would have to depend on her to do that. He hoped against hope he was right. He hoped that he still knew her well enough to predict her next move.

He opened his eyes, yelled her name one more time, and jumped. It was a strange feeling falling through the air. It was frightening and freeing all at the same time. He watched the ground get closer and his heart began to race. What if he was wrong? What if she didn't come to save him? He had cheated death more times than he could count on his one hand and now he might die jumping off the roof of a library. Maybe he was nothing but a bloody fool.

The ground was mere feet away when Emma appeared. She looked up at him, fear in her eyes, as she quickly brought her hands up and waved them in front of her. Suddenly, Killian felt like he was floating on a cloud. His fall slowed and then he was gently laid at her feet.

Her eyes sparked with anger. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I wanted to get your attention. Mission accomplished," he said.

"There are far easier ways. You could've died, Killian."

"You wanted me to trust you, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Well, I need a reason. I need you to prove to me that I can trust you. What better way than trusting you with my life?"

"This was a test?"

"Aye. And you passed swimmingly, love."

"I don't understand," she said, her eyes narrowing at him.

Killian sighed heavily, as he came close to her. "I am tired of fighting how I feel about you, Emma. I miss you. I miss us. The truth is, I want nothing more than to be with you."

Emma's brow raised. "As the Dark One? You will accept me for who I am now?"

"I love you, no matter what you've done."

Emma fought a smile. "You won't try to change me?"

He forced a smirk. "Don't forget, love. I was dark long before you were a twinkle in your parents' eyes."

"But you've come so far. You put the darkness behind you," she said, as she cocked her head and eyed him.

"Darkness is never behind you. You can push it down into the darkest corners of your soul, but it never really leaves you. I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the freedom that darkness gives you. You were my reason for pushing the darkness away, Emma. Without you, there's no reason to keep it at bay. So I thought why not be dark together?"

Emma brought her hand up to stroke his cheek. "I would like nothing more."

Killian swallowed hard. "Now that I've proven I trust you. How about you return the favor?"

"What did you have in mind?"

"Tell me what happened in Camelot. Tell me your plan."

"Killian."

"If you want this to work between us, Emma, then you need to trust me too."

"You really want to know the truth, no matter how awful?"

"I do."

"If you knew what I was really after you'd do everything in your power to stop me."

"Emma, please just tell me."

Emma stared at him for a long moment, before taking his hand and leading him to her yellow bug.

"Let's go somewhere a little more private."

Killian hesitated for a moment before getting into the car. He smiled slightly once inside and gestured with his hook. "I don't understand why you still insist on driving this contraption when you can simply poof yourself anywhere now."

Emma met his eyes as she started the car. "It's serves as a reminder of who I used to be."

Killian felt his heart jump a little bit at her admission.

She went on. "And how I will never allow myself to be that person ever again."

Killian's heart deflated in his chest.

…Flashback: Camelot…

Killian sat alone in Granny's, nursing a drink at the counter. He heard the door open and footsteps stop behind him. He spun around to find himself facing Merlin.

"I was hoping I'd find you here," Merlin said.

Killian stood up and walked towards him. "I can't imagine we have any business with each other. Not as long as you're being controlled by Arthur."

"Arthur sent me."

"Of course he did. I would expect nothing less since he controls you now."

"With Excalibur, he can control what I do, but not how I do it. Not what I say."

"And what is it you have to say to me?"

"You must convince Emma to relinquish the dagger and spark to Arthur. She will listen to you."

Killian snarled at him. "There's no bloody way in hell I am doing that."

"You must. Arthur has issued an ultimatum. If Emma does not hand over the dagger and spark, then he is going to kill everyone she loves. That obviously includes you."

Killian swallowed hard. "Emma would never let that happen. She would stop him."

"And she would have to use dark magic to do that. There will be no turning back for her. Even then, there's no guarantee she could stop him, not with him being in control of my powers now too. If you love her, then you will find a way to persuade her."

"I know Emma. She will find a way. She always does."

"You don't know the woman she is now. The darkness is inside of her and it will make her do things you never thought she was capable of. I know. I watched the woman I love be destroyed by the darkness. But for me it happened so swiftly that I could do nothing to stop it. You and Emma need not suffer the same fate. You still have a chance to prevent Emma from being consumed by the darkness. You still have a chance to do what I couldn't. You can save the woman you love."

"Emma wants to make Excalibur whole so she can remove the darkness from her."

Merlin nodded. "Yes, but the sword can also be used to remove the light from her."

Killian felt his fists clench. "Emma would never do that."

"I never thought the woman I loved would try to kill me, but she did. You need to prepare yourself for anything. And if you wish to protect the people Emma loves, to protect yourself, then you'll convince her to relinquish the dagger and spark."

With a wave of his hand, Merlin vanished. Killian ran a hand through his hair in frustration before returning his attention to his drink. He still knew Emma and he knew asking her to relinquish the dagger and spark would be a waste of breath. She would find another way to defeat Arthur.

…Present Day: Storybrooke…

Emma and Killian pulled up in front of Emma's house and exited the car. She took Killian's hand in hers as they made their way into the house. Once inside, Emma pulled Killian close to her. She grabbed at his jacket and pressed her lips to his in a bruising kiss. Killian could hardly keep up with her. When she abruptly pulled way, they were both left panting for air.

"I've missed you," she said softly, her eyes looking into his.

"I'm here now," he said. "I want us to get back what we had, Emma. I had never felt closer to anyone else in my very long life. I had never trusted anyone the way I trusted you. I know it has always taken a long time for you to let someone in, to trust them. So I was honored when you let me into your heart and trusted me with it. I want that again."

"So do I," Emma said.

"Then prove it. Tell me what happened in Camelot. Tell me what you're planning. Let me help you."

Emma stepped back from him, a slow, wicked smile appearing on her face.

"You don't actually think I believe you accept me for who I am now, do you?"

"Emma," Killian said, his heart starting to race.

"I saw right through you, Killian. You see, becoming the Dark One didn't make me lose my original superpower. I can still tell when someone is lying."

"I love you, Emma. That's not a lie."

"Yes, I know. You love Emma, not the Dark One. And you don't accept me for who I am now. It was all a lie to get me to trust you and tell you my plan. I'm actually insulted you'd think I'd fall for something so obvious."

Killian's eyes flared. "Then why bring me back here?"

Emma smirked. "I needed you here. You coming to me with your phony declarations just gave me the perfect excuse."

"Why do you need me here?"

Emma waved her hand and Excalibur appeared in its entirety.

Killian's eyes widened in shock. "You made it whole."

Emma nodded, a proud smile on her lips. "I did. Impressive, isn't it?"

"Why do you need me?"

"First things first," she said, holding up a finger to him.

She walked over to the door and opened it. She went down the stairs and stuck the sword into the ground. The gesture placed a protection spell around the house that made it impenetrable. She walked back inside and faced Killian.

"Bloody hell, Emma!" Killian screamed. "What did you just do?"

She smiled calmly. "It's like a fancy Do Not Disturb sign. I don't want anyone bothering us."

"Why? What are you going to do?"

"You want the truth, don't you? You want to know what happened in Camelot and what my plan is, right? Well, I am going to tell you. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Killian swallowed hard, as he felt the air leave his lungs. "I just want the truth."

"The truth," Emma began slowly, "is that everything I did, I did for you."

Killian's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean?"

"It will all become clear in a moment," she said. "Listen carefully."

…Flashback: Camelot…

Merlin and Arthur stood in the forest. Behind them, David, Mary Margaret, Regina, Robin, and Hook were tied to trees.

"Do it now," Arthur said.

Merlin shook his head. "There's still time to change your mind, Arthur. You can still be the man you were meant to be."

"I said do it!" Arthur yelled.

With a heavy sigh, Merlin held up Excalibur. "Dark One, I command you to appear."

A moment later, Emma appeared. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw her family and friends being held captive.

Her eyes flared, as she stepped forward. "Leave them alone!"

Arthur nodded and then walked over to Merlin, pulling Excalibur from his grip. "They will be left untouched if you agree to my demands. Tell her, Merlin."

"You must surrender the dagger or Arthur will have everyone you love killed."

"I'd like to see him try," she said, as she held her hands up and aimed her magic at Merlin.

Merlin lifted his hands and fought back with magic of his own. "This is a battle you can't win, Emma."

Arthur, Merlin, and Emma were so preoccupied that none of them noticed Killian wriggle free of his rope. He crept behind the trees, as he slowly approached Arthur from behind. Killian withdrew his sword and was just about to stick it into his back when Arthur spun around and stuck Excalibur through his side.

Killian's eyes widened in horror, as Emma's mouth dropped open. He slowly fell to the ground.

"Killian! No!" Emma screamed.

Emma's jaw clenched and she used her powers to knock Excalibur from Arthur's grip. She then waved her hand and he lifted into the air. She threw him across the forest and he landed on the ground, knocking him unconscious.

Emma ran to Killian and pulled him into her arms, as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please don't leave me, Killian. I love you."

"I love you too, Emma," he whispered.

Emma ran her hand over his wound to try to heal him, but nothing happened.

She looked up at Merlin, tears filling her eyes and her words emerging desperately. "Why isn't it working?"

"The wounds made by Excalibur are not so easily healed."

Emma stroked Killian's face as she watched the color drain from it. "You told me you would never stop fighting for us. Don't you dare break your promise to me."

Emma quickly waved her hand and they vanished. They reappeared in the field of middlemist flowers where he had taken her on the horse.

"We're back here, Killian. Just you and me. Nothing can hurt you here."

"Emma," he whispered, as his eyes fell shut.

"Shh, save your strength."

Emma watched as his chest stopped rising and his heart ceased beating.

"No!" she cried.

She knew then what she had to do. Emma took a deep breath and held Excalibur over him. She then waved her hand over Killian's body as she conjured her dark magic. As she did it, she felt something inside of her shift. Slowly, she watched as the wound in his side healed.

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Come back to me, Killian."

Emma watched as his chest slowly started to rise again and his heart started to beat. Killian opened his eyes.

"You're alive!" she said, throwing her arms around his neck.

She pulled back and smiled at him, but he didn't return it. He was staring at her like she was a stranger.

"What?" she asked.

"Emma, you look different."

Emma's brow furrowed, as she lifted the sword and looked at her reflection in the blade. She felt her breath catch in her chest at the sight she presented. Her hair had turned white and her skin pale.

Killian swallowed roughly. "The darkness," he said weakly. "It has overtaken you. This is my doing."

Emma shook her head, as she brought her hand up and stroked his cheek. "No, I would have done anything, given anything, to save you, Killian. I don't regret it."

"Thank you," he whispered, as he placed his hand in hers and squeezed.

…Present Day: Storybrooke…

Killian stared at her with his mouth agape. "So you're telling me I died in Camelot?"

Emma bobbed her head. "Yes. I was able to heal you. But I had to use dark magic to do it. And there was no turning back after that."

Killian shook his head, as tears sprung to his eyes. "That's how the darkness consumed you? By saving me?"

Emma nodded. "Yes."

"I am so sorry," he whispered.

She brought her hand up and caressed his cheek. "Don't be. I'd do it all over again. You're worth it, Killian."

Killian sucked in a breath. "But there's more, isn't there?"

Emma nodded. "There is."

"Please tell me."

"After that, I returned Excalibur to the stone and put a protection spellon it so that Arthur could not use it again. And then I locked Merlin away."

"What else, Emma? I know there's more."

"There's a reason Arthur chose to kill you over the other people I love, over my parents or Henry."

"You said I tried to kill him first," Killian replied.

"You did, but you were always the target, Killian."

Killian's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Why?"

"You know Merlin can see the future, but his premonitions are incomplete and sometimes inexact."

"I understand that."

"Well, he believed that Arthur was the heir to the Camelot throne because he saw a premonition of him pulling the sword from the stone. What he did not realize is that there was another heir to the throne." She paused for a long moment. "It was you, Killian."

Killian's eyes widened. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Arthur is your half-brother. He is your father's son."

Killian shook his head sharply. "No, that's not possible. I only had one brother, Liam."

"It's true. Your father was heir to the Camelot throne, but he betrayed your grandfather and was disowned. Your father left Camelot and met your mother. He had you and your brother. One day when you were young, he learned that his father had died. He was the only living relative so he was to be king. That's why he left you."

Killian swallowed roughly. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. "Why didn't he tell us?"

"Because he knew that putting you and your brother in line for the throne would make you targets. People had been trying to overthrow the king for years. He wanted to protect you."

Killian stared at her in disbelief. For years, he had thought his father was a coward who had abandoned his family. He never considered that he did it to protect them.

Emma went on. "Your father drank the water in Neverland so he too would not grow old. He was able to rule Camelot for many, many years. One day, your father was passing through a village. He met a poor young woman. They spent one night together and conceived Arthur. Your father never even knew he was born. But when Arthur was a boy and was told that he would rule Camelot, he sought to know how this was his destiny. That was how he discovered that your father was also his."

Killian ran a hand through his hair. "Bloody hell. I can't believe this."

Emma continued. "Arthur grew and could not wait to rule Camelot. He knew your father would not grow old and therefore would not die from old age. So he decided to kill him instead. He snuck into the castle and poisoned your father's food. He died immediately. Arthur knew that whoever pulled the sword from the stone would be king. So he did just that and took his place at the throne. He never knew of you or your brother."

Killian nodded. "Until we arrived in Camelot," he said.

Emma bobbed her head. "That's correct. He saw the symbols on your ring. They are your family's crest."

Killian looked down at the ring that hung on Emma's neck. "That was my father's ring. It's all I have left of him. I suppose that's why I felt it protected me all of these years."

"When Arthur realized you were his older brother, he knew that you were the rightful heir to the throne. He knew you could dethrone him. And that is why he chose you to kill."

"You saved me and destroyed his plan," Killian said.

Emma smiled sadly. "But, as you are well aware, all magic comes with a price. The darkness consumed me as a result."

...Flashback: Camelot...

Emma stood in Granny's, admiring her new clothes. It was a welcome change from her usual uninspired attire.

She heard the door open and spun around. She came face to face with her parents and Killian.

"Emma?" Mary Margaret said, her eyes wide in shock.

She nodded. "Yes, it's me."

"What happened to you?" David asked, as he stared at his daughter.

Emma shot Killian a look. "I assume you didn't tell them."

Killian dropped his gaze. "I didn't know how."

Emma nodded sharply. "I had to use dark magic to save Killian. The darkness consumed me."

Mary Margaret took a step forward to hug her daughter, but Emma held a hand up to halt her.

"Don't," she said.

Mary Margaret's brow became knitted. "Emma, this isn't over. We can still fight this."

David nodded. "Your mother's right. We can still find a way to rid you of the darkness."

"You had your chance," Emma said coldly. "You were supposed to get Excalibur but you couldn't do that. You let yourself be tricked by Zelena. You gave Arthur the upperhand. You set everything in motion. You failed me."

Mary Margaret felt tears spring to her eyes. "We made a mistake, but-..."

"Save your excuses. You made me believe in being the Savior and I did everything you ever asked of me. I sacrificed so much, but the one time I needed you to help me, you couldn't do it. Well, I'm done. I'm done being what you think I should be."

"Emma, this isn't you," David said.

"Your father is right, Swan," Killian said. "We can still fight this."

Emma shook her head. "No, I think I'm exactly who I was always meant to be."

With a wave of her hand, she disappeared, leaving her parents in stunned silence.

...Present Day: Storybrooke...

Killian's brow furrowed at her. "Emma, I still don't understand why you took our memories."

"I knew that Arthur would stop at nothing to kill you, Killian. I knew he would never give up. So I decided it was time to send you all back to Storybrooke. I opened a portal, but as you were all going through, Arthur and his men tried to go through too. I tried to stop them, but it was too late. I knew Arthur would kill you if he remembered you were heir to the throne. I also knew my family would never be safe as long as he sought Excalibur. So I did the only thing I could do. I decided to cast a curse that would erase Arthur's memories and it erased all of yours in the process too."

"But in order to cast a curse you must crush the heart of the one you love the most."

"That's right," Emma replied softly.

Killian stared at her for a long moment. "I know you would never do that to Henry. And your parents share a heart, so that wasn't an option." Realization slowly dawned on him. His voice crackedas he spoke. "Emma, no."

Emma swallowed hard. "I pulled you out of the portal before it closed, Killian. And I removed your heart."

Killian sucked in a breath. "If you crushed my heart, then how am I still here?"

Emma brought her hand up to his chest and gently placed it over his heart. "I gave you half of mine."

Killian's mouth dropped open, as tears sprung to his eyes. "The heart inside of me…it's yours?"

Emma nodded. "It is. I gave you the part of my heart that was still light, while I kept the part that had turned dark."

"But there must still be some light in your heart, Emma, or you would be incapable of love."

"Some light spots remain."

"And you want to use Excalibur to remove the light that remains in your heart."

Emma shook her head. "No, I want to use Excalibur to remove the light from your heart, Killian."

His mouth dropped open as his voice emerged softly. "Why, Emma?"

Emma's face softened. "Because then you will be immortal like me. We share a heart, which means the darkness is tethered to us both now. But I need to remove the light to make you immortal. It's the only way to protect you from Arthur, Killian. He will realize the truth soon enough and he will try to kill you again."

"You're the Dark One, Emma. Why not just kill him and eliminate the threat?"

"Killing Arthur would darken the light spots that remain and I would lose the ability to love."

"If you remove the light from my heart, then won't I lose the ability to love, too?"

"I will leave spots, just like on my half."

Killian sighed. "There must be another way."

"There isn't," she said, as she reached up to stroke his face. "I've done everything I can to protect you, Killian. I can't lose you now. We don't have a choice."

Just then, Killian felt the air in the room grow cold and Zelena suddenly appeared. She smiled at Killian and flicked her wrist, causing him to go flying against the wall.

"Zelena!" Emma said.

"You said you wanted my help, so here I am."

"I instructed you to wait down below until I summoned you."

"Well, I've never been very good at following directions. It's my one flaw."

"Why in bloody hell are you working with her?" Killian asked.

Zelena brought her hand up and pointed it at Killian's chest. He grabbed at the place where his heart beat as he winced in pain.

"What the hell is happening?" he asked weakly.

"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Zelena asked. "I'm going to remove your heart."

Killian's eyes widened. "Emma, what is she talking about?"

"Killian, we need to remove your heart in order to use Excalibur on it and remove the light. But I can't be the one to do it. The person whose heart it is can't be the one holding it or it won't work. I struck a deal with Zelena to get her to help me."

Killian shook his head. "You know you can't trust her, Emma. What's to stop her from crushing it?"

Zelena shook her head. "So distrustful. It's a rather unattractive quality, don't you agree? Look, I've aligned myself with the Dark One. That can only benefit me. It would be unwise to betray her."

"Yes, it would be," Emma said sharply.

Killian sighed heavily. "Fine, then do it already."

"Gladly," Zelena said with a sneer, as she raised her hand.

"Wait!" Emma said.

She closed the distance between her and Killian and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I love you," she said, as she pulled back and leaned her forehead against his.

"I love you too," he whispered.

Zelena rolled her eyes. "Well, aren't you two precious? Now let's get on with it. I haven't got all day, you know."

Emma stepped away from Killian, as Zelena raised her hand and pulled Killian's heart from his chest. He sucked in a breath, as he watched her cradle it in the palm of her hands.

Emma suddenly disappeared, but quickly reappeared with Excalibur. She held it up to Killian's heart and then waved her hand above it. Killian watched in astonishment as the red turned dark. When she was done, only a few red spots remained.

"It's done," Emma said.

Zelena nodded and then shoved the heart back into Killian's chest. Killian gasped and then let out a breath, before clutching his chest.

"Well, I really must be going," Zelena said. "Those What to Expect When You're Expecting books won't read themselves, now will they?"

With a flick of her wrist, Zelena disappeared.

Emma moved to Killian and placed her hand over his heart. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Aye. Thank you for saving my life."

Emma smiled and then held Excalibur up to him.

"Look," she said gesturing at the blade.

Killian's eyes widened at what he saw. His name was now inscribed beside hers.

"We share more than a heart now, Killian. We share a destiny," she said with a smile.

Killian swallowed hard. He had fought long and hard to rid himself of the darkness and now it was a permanent part of him. He didn't know how to feel.

...

Emma placed her head on Killian's chest as they relaxed on the couch in her living room. She smiled as she listened to her heart beating inside his chest. They were forever connected now.

Killian stroked Emma's hair, as his voice emerged softly. "This isn't over, is it? There's more to your plan."

Emma nodded. "Arthur won't stop until he has Excalibur. And he will use my family against me."

Killian found Emma's hand and linked their fingers together. "We will fight him together, love."

Emma lifted her head and met his eyes. "But not tonight. Tonight is ours."

Killian lowered his lips to Emma's in a soft kiss.

"I love you," he whispered when they parted.

"I love you, too," she replied with a smile. "And now we will spend eternity together."

Killian nodded, but in his half of the heart they shared he hoped against hope that he would one day find a way to rid them both of the darkness inside of them.

...The End...

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought. ~Steph


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